Klopp opted to field a team without a recognised striker in the recent defeat against Manchester United, prompting plenty questions to be asked of Benteke’s exclusion.

The former Borussia Dortmund boss, however, rebuffed claims of Benteke not being in his plans and told reporters that the Belgium international most definitely has a future at the club.

“He needs to stay cool – of course he has a future here,” Klopp explained.

“We don’t score enough goals, so I understand why you ask about the striker - in your mind the only striker we have. He is on the bench and that seems to be strange, but not in my opinion.

“We have to think about how we create chances. First of all we cannot hope that we can get the ball into the box and then maybe Christian will finish it. To have Christian on the bench is a quality sign.”

Benteke joined the Reds from relegation-threatened Aston Villa in a big-money deal last summer.

The 25-year-old has plenty of talent, yet the deal raised questions as to whether his style of play coincides with that of Liverpool who like to play narrow and press high up the pitch.

So far Benteke has not exactly been a roaring success, scoring six goals and adding a further two assists in 19 Premier League appearances.

The dilemma for Klopp is how he manages to integrate his striker alongside the likes of Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana who all like to play through the middle.

Until he figures that out, his big-money striker will likely continue to struggle to make an impact.

Tom Thorogood

I'm a 27 year old language teacher and writer based out in Mexico with a passion for football and swimming. I like to focus on the top European Leagues, especially La Liga, as well as the footballing development in Central and South America. My favourite teams include Derby County, Barcelona and Jagaures de Chiapas.